1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to image recording and reproducing apparatuses. More particularly, a technique for recording and reproducing high frame rate images resulting from high speed image shooting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital cameras for capturing images of a subject, converting the captured image into image data, and recording the image data on recording media are widely used. Such digital cameras are categorized into digital still cameras that mainly capture still images and digital video cameras that mainly capture moving images.
Digital cameras having a still image shooting function and a moving image shooting function have been developed recently. In one method for simultaneously recording moving images and still images, one frame of a moving image is recorded as a still image during shooting of the moving image. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-103361 discloses one example of such digital cameras.
The digital camera disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-103361 switches an operation mode thereof into a still image shooting mode from a moving image shooting mode in response to pressing of a still image shooting button during shooting of a moving image and shoots a still image by still image shooting conditions. A user can shoot a still image at the right moment to shoot a good still image using such a digital camera during shooting of a moving image.
However, since shooting of a moving image is temporarily suspended when a still image is shot in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-103361, loss of frames may affect the recorded moving image.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-054053 discloses an example of a reproducing apparatus for reproducing a recorded moving image. The reproducing apparatus captures one frame of the reproduced moving image as a still image.
The still image capturing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-054053 temporarily stores a reproduced frame image displayed on a display screen in a storage device, thereby capturing a still image. In addition, the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-054053 allows a user to set a time interval between capturing of frame images and a size of the storage device. As a result, the apparatus can selectively capture frame images that the user wants to capture.
However, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-054053 is for simply extracting one frame of a reproduced moving image. If an interval between frames of the reproduced moving image is set approximately equal to 1/30 seconds, the apparatus is unable to capture another still image after at least 1/30 seconds elapses since capturing of one still image. Furthermore, long and short time still image capturing, which can be realized by changing the shutter speed as in digital cameras having a still image shooting function, is not available.